Sri Lanka President Arrives in India for First Overseas Visit, Set to Meet PM Modi Today
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited India on Monday for his first overseas trip since taking office, aiming to strengthen ties between the two neighboring nations. It is customary for Sri Lankan leaders to make India their first foreign destination, given the regional competition for influence between India and China in the Indian Ocean.
Dissanayake, a leftist who assumed office in September with a mandate to combat corruption, is scheduled to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi later on Monday.
Sri Lanka President Visits India on First Foreign Trip, Scheduled to Meet PM Modi Today
The President mentioned having “productive discussions” with India’s finance and foreign ministers, as well as National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. The talks focused on enhancing Indo-Sri Lanka economic cooperation, exploring investment opportunities, bolstering regional security, and advancing sectors like tourism and energy.
Dissanayake emphasized that these discussions underscore the commitment to furthering the partnership between the two countries.
India has expressed concern over China’s growing influence in Sri Lanka, with New Delhi ramping up infrastructure projects in the island nation. Despite these efforts, China remains Sri Lanka’s largest bilateral lender.
Looking ahead, Dissanayake plans to visit Beijing in early 2025 for talks with Chinese leaders. Sri Lanka faced a severe financial crisis in 2022, when it ran out of foreign exchange to cover essential imports and defaulted on its $46 billion foreign debt.
